2006 News Archives

76th CHIEF'S REPORT
George A. Campbell
Semi-Annual General Meeting
December 3, 2006

First of all, I would like to welcome everybody here today. I especially welcome new members and any friends of the Caledonian Club. This year has certainly been a year of changes and I would like to thank everybody for giving us the opportunity to have served the membership.

The Highland Games Season
The weather did not do us any favors this year. We chartered a bus to Bonnie Brae, but the weather was so bad, very few people who had booked showed up for the Games, so we lost money on the bus. We nearly filled a 49-seat bus for the Westbury Games, which were canceled at the last minute by the organizers. So we lost a lot more money on that. The deluge did not continue, however, at the Medieval Festival. The sun shone brightly and the tent was busy all day. This was the Festival's biggest year, and we got a lot of new names for our mailing list and hopefully, some will become members soon.

Our Halloween ceilidh at our new home, Central Presbyterian Church, was a wonderful event.

We observed the Club's 150th Birthday at the St. Andrew's Restaurant, albeit not so much on the grand scale as the 70th Anniversary. The celebration, I'm sure, was just as enthusiastic. Jessie Richards, from Glasgow, gave us a wee song or two. Patrick Duffy, the Piper to the Chief, played some tunes and led us all in Auld Lang Syne.

It's been a good year for the Club. I've very much enjoyed being Chief. The Board has tried its very best to make events as enjoyable as reasonably priced as possible. We have considered various ideas for our Burns Supper and we have reduced the costs as much as we possibly can for this type of event. An alternative would be a pot luck Burns Supper at a lower price. The Burns Supper is our signature event for the year and it is our chance to put on our best. The Board feels that we should continue on that vein. We are not as wealthy as some other organizations. We do not have $10 million dollars in the bank, but our membership is open to all.

Our Tartan Week Ceilidh in April was a great financial success and has become a major fundraising event for us and for charity.

The New York Caledonian Club has surpassed itself over the past few years. We have fulfilled many times over our required educational and charitable functions as a 501 (c)(3) corporation and I am sure that this will continue in the future.

The first time I came to a ceilidh at the Caledonian Club in 1992, I fell down the stairs at the entrance. Usually this happens at the end of the ceilidh, but for me it was different. I didn't realize what I had fallen into. There was something unique about a Caledonian Club ceilidh, because it reminded me of ceilidhs at home. It would be very doubtful I would have had the same feeling if it had been a wealthy corporate organization that was having the ceilidh. No one asked me what I did for a living. They did want to know how long I'd been here, where I was from in Scotland, and what I was interested in and hey we need drummers in the New York Scottish Pipes and Drums. In fact, we need two - will you sign up?

I'm very proud of the way the Club has grown over the years since then under many different Chiefs. It was a great pleasure for me to contribute what I could to that growth. I wish to say that there is one Chief we must keep in our prayers at this time - Jim Campbell, who served as 73rd Chief and the Club's Ambassador. He has been very instrumental in fostering relationships with the other Scottish and Historical organizations in New York and Scotland and for this we thank him. May the Spirit be with you Jim.
-George-

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Speech by 76th Chief, George Alexander Campbell
on the occasion of the 150th Anniversary of the New York Caledonian Club,
given at the Saint Andrew's Restaurant New York City.
November 14th 2006.

It was 150 years ago today that Captain William Manson, a native Scot from Thurso, and other members of the original Highland Guard, met at his home, at 256 Spring Street, and founded the New York Caledonian Club.

At the 70th Anniversary celebration of the New York Caledonian Club in 1926, Chief James Robb told a story of a gentleman who, somewhat embarrassed when called upon to say a few words, got to his feet and said "I really don't know what to talk about". Mark Twain, who was sitting by the gentleman, said "Talk about a minute". James Robb's comment was "And I have been asked to say a few words about seventy years. Seventy years, the time, according to the Psalmist, allotted to mankind."

Well, now I've been asked to talk "about a New York minute", about 150 years. At the same time, asking me to speak--well, some of you may know, if you ask George Campbell to speak he'll talk yer heid aff!.

In 1926, James Robb spoke about how the world of 1856 had disappeared. Today, none of us are old enough to remember the world of 1926. That too, has become history.

The resilience of the New York Caledonian Club over the years has been remarkable. The Club survived during some of the most difficult times in United States history--the Civil War, the First World War, the Great Depression and the Second World War, into the 1950's, when the membership scattered in the great post-war migration of Scots and Scots Americans to the suburbs of New York City, and then, finally, the Club's reconstitution in 1982.

During the Civil War in 1861, many of the Club's members joined the 79th New York Highland Regiment, which served under General Ulysses S. Grant. The 79th Highland Regiment holds the distinction of being the first to answer President Lincoln's urgent call for volunteers. Captain Robert Gair of the 79th said "On the 13th day of May 1861, we were mustered into the United States Army. I shall always remember that Sabbath day we left Jersey City for the front, and my parting with my widowed mother, my father having died a year before...Yes, laddie, how few of us realized the task we had undertaken. For out of 1,087 that left in such high spirits, less than 190 of the original muster were left to be mustered out on their return to New York."

Again, from the Club's records November 11, 1918, Armistice Day:
"The New York Caledonian Club was ablaze with banners, flags, buntings, streamers, window boxes, and choice flowers of the season. The 79th placed a wreath of Scottish thistles (grown at Great Neck, Long Island) above our doorway with a card from "the boys of 1861 to 1865 to the boys of 1914 to 1918" tied with the 79th's Cameron Tartan ribbon."

On October, 23, 1934, the Great Depression, the Club was forced to sell its Clubhouse at 846 Seventh Avenue, in part, because of the impact of the Great Depression.

During the time of the Second World War, the New York Caledonian Club was based at Second Presbyterian Church, the Old Scots Church. The ladies of the New York Caledonian Club, along with the Thistle Guildry, set up a canteen in the Church basement for the 250,000 soldiers from the United States and Canada who passed through New York on their way overseas.

Even with the globalization of our world, Jock Thompson's bairns are still searching for and going back to their roots. Almost every day I receive an email from someone asking a question about their Scottish ancestry or where they can find genealogical information, or if their great-great grandfather was a member of the New York Caledonian Club. Our Club records will soon be available to everyone in the world. With our website, now everyone in the world can find us.

Resilience--the Burns Statue in Central Park, the Sir Walter Scottt Statue in Central Park--two great monuments with the stamp "made in Scotland".

I've only given a snapshot of the Club's history. The histories and stories of the Scots in New York and America are as numerous as the stars in the sky. And, speaking of the heavens, remember that a ScotsAmerican made the first footprint on the moon.

On December 3, 1906 at an address at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh the Earl of Rosbery said: "If Scotland was not great, the empire of Britons would not stand where it does".

I would like to propose a toast to:
Captain William Manson from Thurso, the Club's founder, Alexander Fraser, the Club's first Chief, Andrew Macmillan, 75th Chief on his 76th Birthday today, The New York Caledonian Club--all its members and friends, past and present.

"Back to the simmer days,
Back to the broomy braes,
Back wha'r the burnie strays, sweetly alang.
Back to the whinny knowes,
Back to the hazel howes,
Listenin' aince mair tae the wee linties sing.

Back through the vale O' years,
Yes misty wi' mony tears,
A' hung aroon wi' a dark cloudy rack,
Born on that blessed strain,
A' is cleared up amain,
While the auld hills welcome me back."

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Westbury Games Canceled
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Message from the Chief

"But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men,
Gang aft agley,
An' lea' us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!"
                                Robert Burns

A near sell out bus to the Long Island Games in Old Westbury Gardens-a driech mornin' it wis. I was up at 5 o'clock this morning. I could see lightning across the Hudson in New Jersey up here in Washington Heights and the rain was teeming down. The weather forecast said just clouds for the rest of the day at Old Westbury, so we packed up all the gear for the Club tents to venture out to the Games. Daisy the Cat looked at us in horror and said "here they go again-but at least I'll get peace and quiet for the rest of the day," (or so she thought). So we arrived at our meeting place, St. Andrew's restaurant (which was not open for business yet) and one by one, our intrepid Caledonians arrived, ready for the great adventure, including the youngest Caledonian, Mhairead, who could not have been more than a few months old, and her older brother Alexander, who already looked like a seasoned highlander. The rain had stopped by 8:30 and the day started to look brighter. The bus arrived just before 9:00 and off we went. We were four blocks from the Midtown Tunnel when our omniscient weblord, Dr. What called from his Starship in Westbury and instructed us to just cling on and turn around-the Highland Games were cancelled.

What a disappointment for all of us, but there will be other excursions to come. For everyone who booked a seat on the bus, you will receive a refund shortly. Don't forget our other events coming up. Keep checking our calendar.

Best regards,
George Campbell
Chief

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New York Caledonian Club Summer Events

Greetings Members and Friends,

Eight years ago the St. George's Society instituted a summer garden party when its office was in the General Theological Seminary in Chelsea. The party was a hit, and was repeated in subsequent years, adding sister societies as sponsors along the way. It became the "Three Saints Party" (Saints Andrew, David and George), then the American Scottish Foundation joined in, and finally the New York Caledonian Club. This year the New York Daughters of the British Empire are participating as well.

This special event will be held on Wednesday, July 12th, 6:00 p.m., in the Close at the General Theological Seminary, located on 9th Avenue and 20th Street New York City. Usually well over 200 people attend. After the expenses of hosting the event are paid, profits are shared among the participating societies, according to the number of attendees from each organization. The RSVP coupon on the flyer asks that you indicate which organization you belong to. If you wish to attend please click on the link below.

Garden Reception PDF

Download and fill in the flyer and mail to:

St. George's Society
216 East 45th Street, Suite 901
New York, NY 10017-3304

Or fax the form with credit card info to Val Bickel at 212-682-3465

We urge you to attend this delightful gathering in a beautiful setting.

Also don't miss a concert of "Scottish music at LaMama", presented by our fellow Scots at Clann an Uabhair, the Gay and Lesbian Scottish Association in New York City. The concert will be on the 26th of June. Click on the link below to see the full details.

LaMama Current Season

Don't forget the Round Hill Highland Games on July 1st in Norwalk Connecticut!

If you have any questions about these events, or need any other information, please do not hesitate to contact me on the Club's voicemail 212-662-1083 or Email me and I will get back to you promptly.

Looking forward to seeing you.

A' the best

George A. Campbell
76th Chief

"Open to the World"

"To foster and enlarge the nobler impulses of the heart"

1856-2006

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